Seam-pressing machine



Jan. 22, 1929.

G. E. MILLER SEAM PRESSING MACHINE Filed 00'6'. 6, 1927 Patented Jan. 22, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GER/VASE E. MILLER, OF DANVERS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 IDEAL BABY SHOE COMPANY, INC., OF DANVERS, MASSACHUSETTS, A'COBPORATION OF MASSA- GHUSETTS.

Application led October 6, 1927.

This invention relates to a seamy pressing machine and although capable of general application is more especially designed with reference to work on infants and ,childrens shoes. V In the manufacture of soft shoes or sandals for infants and children, the shoes are first formed by stitching the parts together wrong side out and when fully formed are then turned right side out. Before being turned, however, the edges'at the seams are pressed or flattened out in order to remove any ridges on the inside of the shoe and to smooth the exterior at the seams. The small size of the shoes generally offers difficulties in the seam pressing operation especially at the toe portions and the accomplishment of this work has heretofore been attained by hand work which hais not been entirely satisfactory in its results in addition to being open to the obj ections of the time and expense involved.

rlhe main object of theinvention is the provision of a simple and efficient machine for operating on work of the foregoing charae ter.

This end is attained by providing a machine having a work-supporting member of small diameter adapted for insertion in a ver)7 small shoe and for reaching into the toeportion thereof and which has a clear and unobstructed space therearound permitting the work to be freely moved on the work-supporting member.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine which may be operated at a comparatively highv speed in order that thc work may be performed rapidly and at a low cost.

'lo this end a hammer is providedhaving a short stroke and so mounted that it may be reciprocated with great rapidity and etl'eetiveness.

A further object is the provision of means for adjusting either the work-supporting member or the hammer or both `to vary the pressure exerted by the hammer and to conform to varying conditions of thickness in the work.

Other objects of the invention will be more specifically set forth and described hereinafter.

SEAM-PRESSING MACHINE.

Serial No. 224,424.

In the drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a maehineconstructed and adapted to be operated in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation looking from right to left in Figure 1 of the portion of the frame of the machine carrying the work-supporting member and showing said member, partly'in section, and the hammer; F ig.y 3 is a top plan view of the cranlll-arm end of the hammer lever; Fig.` 4L is a sectional view of a portion of a shoe part showing the seam before being pressed and flattened and Fig. 5y is a side elevation of the cooperating parts of the work-supporting member and hammer with work interposed and'being pressed.

Referring to the drawings, 1() designates a base portion having at one end an upwardly extending head 11 in theform of a yoke, the two ends of which are extended laterally over the base, in the form of arms 12, and at the other end an end-plate 14 is secured to the base by bolts 16. The end-plate extends be? low the base and has fastened to its lower portion by bolts 18 a short arm or bracket 20 forcarrying the work-supporting member. The flange 22 of the base may be bored to receive screws for mounting the machine ony a table or other suitable support and the endplate extends below the table to hold the work-supporting member at a 'convenient height for the operator. The frame of the machine, however, may be made in any suitable form. 1

The operating instrumentalities comprise a work-supporting member 24 and a hammer 26, the former being carried by the arm 20 and the latter by an arm or lever 2S. The work-supporting member is in the form of a spindle having a rounded Work-supporting end and is mounted upright in a recessed headed stud carried by a sleeve 311 threaded through the end of the arm 20. By turning the sleeve the spindle may be adjusted vertically and for this purpose the head of the sleeve is provided with radial holes 36 for receiving a turning pin.

The hammer 26 is mounted in the end of the armor lever 28 and may be of any suitable form but as shown comprises a threaded shank 38 having one end expanded to form the head 26 adapted for pressing the work on the end of the spindle 24. The shank ot the hammer may be threaded through the lever 28 or may be modiited loosely therein and se'- cured in fixed position by av nut ll() and setnut 42.

; For reciprocating the hammer.l the hammer lever is pivotaylly mounted midway on a transverse shaft lll rotatably mounted in bearings 46 formed in the ends oit the tivo arms l2. The shaft is secured against longitudinal movement in the lever and bearings by a set. screw 48 which astens it in the lever. For oscillating the hammer lever, it conn d in any suitable manner to' a -shatt 50 rotatably mounted `the ytle'd liead ll having; lized to one end a belt pill'ey S adapted to be driven Atrom any suitable source oi power. The 'crank-shalt. has i'idivay a rediiced }v ortion 58 vvhirll 'eccent'ric yto the ilaii ax oi' the sllait and a pair oit bearinfg` bloclrls all; are slidably iii'ounted betii/eei `tivo rearwardly este ding arm portio'ns 36 of tlle hammer lever for connecting' it to the branlrpoi'tion oit' the crank shaft.

As the craini-slia'lt is rotated, "the movement of the crank arm portion ofi operating as a crank irin, l'oseilla't'es 'tire hammer lever and thebearing bi cis "VollV slide longitudinally the lever on Lgjguirrctv'ys 58. For holding the bea'iiil blo'cls in sliding position and in ein gageinenlt Witl'i the oranti Varm vportion 53, the tivo arin portions 56 may be connected t0- get'her `a 'bolt 60 and nut @Zand the lever may be 'slotted longitudinally at 6a to 'permit the Ltivo 'arm 'portions 5G Lto be drawn together. The lever may in addition be bored transversely the slot @4t for receiving a threaded bolt '66 and the 'bore on the llov-fer sid-e of the 'sl't be threaded To hiavviiig3 the tvvo portions of th'e rear end ol re lever giether A1, nift- G Holds the blt in adjliisted pos En the use otl the illustrated rna'chnre adjustment is l'iist linad-e 'tosecure the enact press e `desired in View oi the coidition tot the Work to fbe ope 'ated nlion this is done by turning` the headcdsleeve 3ft kto rai'seo'rto lioftieijttlrc Woiilvsuppf'ri en r incinber Ein 'relation to the ihammer. fitter `the lad- L'justmeirts have been 'made the avori( is placed 'itpon the tvorli; tpli'ort'ingg spindle and held by the Uperato'r A'and "the 'machine started. 'llie rdtationdi the cranksl af'lit os lates'the `hammer lef-ferand the lhammer pounds dorm ithe seam. lin @figure 5 is sho'ivn a :portionoil *a shoe TO 'arrang'el on the qe'orlistipqporting spindle in posi-tion for vpressin'g'down la seam {at-*thc heel. Theconditiin'iottlie sermbc't'ore beiiigopcratedupon 'issl'iown `-in Figure 4 in which 72 indicates the seai'iistitching and vTil theltsvo seam cdges'of material. lnlthe'pressoperation, vthe hammer .pounds 'doivn the tivo 'edges "74 thereby opening` up said edges Varid tiirriing Etheta back 4each Tripon its own material.

The operator positions the Work upon the spindle as shown in FiO. 5 to bring the seam under the centre of the hammer and then moves it so that the hammer Works along each seam. `With a rapid vibration of the hammer the work can be accomplished very quickly and etticiently. y

lt will be observed that there is a cle .5f-and unobstructed space around the :Work-supporting; member which greatly facilitates the progress of the Work by permitting tree handling and movement thereof which is oi im' port-ance especially When shoes are being operated upon in the toe portions; By employing' a work-supporting member in the form' ot zi spindle every portion ot a shoe may be easily reached. I

Although, the embodiment oi the invention liel'einbefore described was designed with special reference' to Work on small objects such as infantsj shoes yet the machine is capable o'l general use for seam pressin and the invention is not to be limited to the specilic form shown since it may bc embodied in other forms Without depart-ing' from the spirit thereof.

'Vilhat l 'claim is:

l. In a. seam crossing); machine, the combination of a trame, a rela-tively slendei` s-pin- 'die having a semi-spherical end for supporting the Work and a reciprocating hammer tor pressing` and liattening' the seam inthe Work.

2. in sea-rn pressingl machine, the combination oi 'a frame, an upright relatively slend'efri iiindle hav-ing a. semi-spherical end tor suimporting` the Work and a reciprocatingl hammer for j)Plattening the seam in the Work.

3. In a seam pressing` machine, 'the combition and a relative y lower iront portion, an uprifgliit relatively slender spindle adjustably ymfounteiil in said relatively lower portion of 'said frame, the terp end of said spindle being rounded 'l'or supporting iti-he Work, and a rcciip'rocatirrg rhammer tor flattening .seaa'ns in the. work. Y

dn 'a seam pressing meel-rino, the combination ota flirame 'compi sine; a body portion, t" "mend platevand a. spini'lleralrryi-nfr arm o'r brach-et `se 'tired `to the `lower `end oflf sai-id liront plate below said body portion, an uprigffht spindle adj ustably mounted in .f-iaidarm or fiaclmt and adapted vto project tinto and support an intants shoe and liziviiig` a clear and unobstructed space therearound to perH `nrit treemovemcntot the shoe onfthe spindle `and areciprocating` hammer for flattening;

'sea-ms initli'e Work.

5. En a seampressingmachine, the combination oia iframe comprising' a body portion,

a front end plate and a spindle carryingl arm` yPosition oi? a Ytram-e havin-g -a main body porto project into and support a shoe and having a clear and unobstructed space therearound and a. pivotally mounted reciprocating hammer vfor flattening seams in the Work supported on said spindle.

6. In a seam pressing machine, the combination of a frame having its 'front end at a relatively lower level than its main body portion, an upright Work-supporting member adjustably mounted in said front depressed end of said trame and being of a diameter suiiiciently small to project into the toe portion of an infants shoe and having a clear and unobstructed space therearound and a hammer for iattening the seams in the Work on said member. v

7. In a seam pressing' machine, the combination of a frame, an upright vertically adjustable Work-supporting member having a semi-spherical end and being ot restricted diameter to permit insertion in the toe portion of an inants shoe and having a clear and unobstructed space thercaround to permit free movement of a shoe on said member and a reciprocating hammer for flattening the seams in the Work on said member.

8. In a seam pressing machine, the combination of a trame comprising a body portion and an overhanging yoke portion,'an end plate secured at its upper end to the front of said body portion and an arm or bracket at the lower end of said plate and extending in a forward direction, said arm or bracket being relatively lower than said body portion, an upright vertically adjust-- able relatively slender Work supporting spindle having an upper semi-spherical end and mounted in said arm or bracket at a suiiicient distance from the body portion of said 'frame to give a clear and unobstructed space around said spindle to permit of free movement of an infants shoe thereon and a reciprocating hammer mounted in said yoked portion of said trame for flattening kthe seams in the Work on said spindle.

In Witness Whereoi, I hereunto set my hand this third day of October, 1927.

GERVASE E'. MILLER. 

